Detection of low quantum yield fluorophores and improved imaging times using metallic nanoparticles

The behavior of a fluorophore near a gold nanoparticle is rationalized by a theoretical description of the parameters that modify the fluorescence emission: nanoparticle-fluorophore distance, fluorescence quantum yield (φ0), and fluorophore absorption and emission spectra, to find optimum conditions...

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Autores principales: Estrada, L.C., Roberti, M.J., Simoncelli, S., Levi, V., Aramendía, P.F., Martínez, O.E.
Formato: JOUR
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Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_15206106_v116_n7_p2306_Estrada
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Sumario:The behavior of a fluorophore near a gold nanoparticle is rationalized by a theoretical description of the parameters that modify the fluorescence emission: nanoparticle-fluorophore distance, fluorescence quantum yield (φ0), and fluorophore absorption and emission spectra, to find optimum conditions for designing fluorophore-nanoparticle probes. The theoretical maximum gain in brightness of the nanoparticle-fluorophore system with respect to the isolated molecule increases almost inversely proportional to φ0. The brightness enhancement in imaging experiments in vitro was assessed by using Au-SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles deposited on glass. A ∼13-fold emission brightness enhancement for weakly fluorescent molecules was observed. A significant increase in fluorophore photostability, rendering longer imaging times, was obtained for fluorophores interacting with gold nanoparticles incorporated by endocytosis in cells. Our results illustrate a way to increase imaging times and to study molecules in the vicinity of a metallic nanoparticle after photobleaching of background fluorescence. © 2012 American Chemical Society.